“Pain is a construct of the brain – 100% of the time” – Dr. Lorimer Moseley

Introduction:

Pain is an inevitable part of life. At some point, nearly everyone will experience some form of pain or discomfort, whether it’s a sudden, sharp pain from an injury or an ache that slowly builds over time. Yet pain is often misunderstood, both in what it means and how to manage it. Unfortunately, these misunderstandings can lead people down paths that prolong pain or make it worse.

As a rehab professional, I want to clear up some misconceptions about pain and provide you with actionable strategies to navigate it. This post will not only help you understand pain better but also guide you toward managing it effectively and safely. Let’s dive in.

Here are some misconceptions around pain, and some information on how you should approach pain, should you experience it yourself.

Misconception #1: Pain Always Means Tissue Damage

The most important fact to understand about pain is that it doesn’t always mean there’s actual damage to your body. Pain is not a perfect indicator of injury. Rather, it’s a protective mechanism—your body’s alarm system. Sometimes that alarm is working as intended, alerting you to a serious problem that requires immediate attention. But other times, the system becomes overly sensitive, and the “alarm” gets stuck in the on position even when no actual danger exists.

Here’s why this happens:

 

• • Pain is regulated by the nervous system, and it can become overly sensitized when you’re under stress, sleep-deprived, anxious, or even associating the pain with fear. In these cases, your body amplifies the signal despite no tissue damage.

• Chronic pain, for instance, is less about ongoing tissue damage and more about how the nervous system continues to misfire, keeping you in a loop of discomfort.
  
  

This means that not all pain is “bad” or means something is broken. Even when you feel pain, your tissues might still be healthy and capable.

Key Takeaway:

If your pain didn’t start with a specific trauma (such as falling or rolling your ankle), there’s a good chance it might be your body’s way of telling you to pay attention—but not to panic. Knowing this can reduce fear and stress around your discomfort, both of which can make pain worse.2. Convert traffic into leads

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Misconception #2: Rest is Best—Why Being Sedentary Worsens Pain

When pain arises, it’s natural to think, “I’ll just rest this off.” And while rest is important in the immediate aftermath of significant injury, like a sprain or fracture, resting for too long can make things worse in the long run.

Our bodies aren’t designed to stay still for extended periods. Movement keeps our muscles, joints, and tissues healthy by:

 

• • Increasing blood flow that delivers nutrients to tissues and helps clear away inflammation.

• • Preventing stiffness that can develop rapidly when we stop moving.

• • Reducing sensitivity in the nervous system as you gradually reintroduce normal activities.

Long-term avoidance of movement can:

 

• • Lead to muscle weakness and deconditioning, making it harder to return to your usual activities.

• • Increase fear around using the painful area, which can prolong or even worsen the pain experience.

• • Encourage a cycle of inactivity, which leads to stiffness, further pain, and even greater reluctance to move.

Let me expand on this more as it’s important to understand this.

A common but harmful belief is that avoiding movement—especially movements or positions associated with discomfort—will protect your body and help with recovery. While rest has its place, prolonged inactivity can actually set you up for more pain in the long run. Here’s why:

When you stop moving certain parts of your body, you begin to lose strength, flexibility, and mobility in those specific ranges of motion (ROM). For example, if you avoid bending forward due to back pain, your muscles, connective tissue, and nervous system “decondition” to that motion over time. This deconditioning means you’ll have less capacity to handle normal physical demands within that range. Your body becomes less prepared to tolerate everyday loads, such as picking up a grocery bag or sitting for extended periods, and this reduced capacity increases the likelihood of a pain response when you eventually try to reintroduce those movements.

This happens because your tissues adapt—or rather maladapt—to inactivity. Without regular use, muscles weaken, joints stiffen, and the neural pathways that govern those movements lose efficiency. Moreover, avoiding specific ranges of motion reinforces fear of movement (often called kinesiophobia), which further perpetuates avoidance and deconditioning. Over time, this creates a vicious cycle where your body is less capable of bearing even minor physical stresses, leading to more frequent and intense pain responses.

Deconditioning doesn’t just reduce your physical capacity—it impacts how your nervous system reacts to load. Pain is influenced by perceived threat, and a body that is untrained for a particular action is more likely to interpret it as a potential danger, even if the tissue itself is not injured. For instance, if you haven’t squatted or bent your knees deeply in months, your body “learns” that this range is unfamiliar and possibly unsafe, fostering a heightened pain response when you attempt it again.

On the flip side, gradual, gentle movement is critical for recovery and prevention. Controlled exposure to these positions and ranges of motion helps rebuild strength, flexibility, and confidence. Just like muscles adapt and grow stronger with regular use, your body’s tolerance for load increases when you consistently and thoughtfully challenge it. Over time, this reduces the likelihood of pain and allows you to regain freedom of movement.

In essence, avoiding movement doesn’t protect you—it makes you more vulnerable. Even small, intentional movements can retrain your body and nervous system, breaking the cycle of deconditioning and pain.

Key Takeaway:

Being sedentary for too long is counterproductive when managing most types of pain. Instead, aim for gentle, low-intensity movement even in the early stages. This not only prevents the problem from escalating but also increases your chances of a full recovery.

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How to Navigate Pain with Confidence: A Practical Approach

When you’re in pain, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Should you rest? Should you push through? Should you see a doctor? Let’s break it down into a simple system to help you navigate pain in practical terms.

Step 1: Reflect on the Pain

Ask yourself:

 

• • Did the pain occur suddenly during an identifiable event (e.g., “I twisted my knee while running”)?

• • Does the pain limit your ability to perform daily activities, like walking, getting out of a chair, or sleeping?

• • Is the pain more of an ache or discomfort, or is it sharp and debilitating?

These questions help narrow down what’s happening. Most aches and pains that feel tolerable typically don’t need urgent medical intervention. For more severe pain or injuries that result in swelling, joint instability, or inability to bear weight, see a healthcare provider.

Step 2: Use the ‘Traffic Light System’ for Activity

This tool helps you decide how to modify your daily activities while dealing with pain.

 

• • Green (Go): No pain with an activity? It’s in the clear—keep doing it as normal.

• • Yellow (Proceed with Caution): Mild or moderate pain that doesn’t worsen as you continue an activity? It’s often okay to proceed, as long as the pain doesn’t flare up significantly in the hours or days afterward. Some discomfort is normal—it doesn’t mean you’re making things worse.

• • Red (Stop): Sharp, shooting pain, or pain that worsens with the activity? This is a sign to pause and avoid that activity until symptoms settle.

Bonus Tip:

Most “yellow zone” pain is safe—and moving through discomfort can actually help desensitize the nervous system over time. Don’t fear mild pain!

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When You’re Dealing with a Suspected Injury

If pain comes from a clear traumatic event—like a sprain, fall, or accident—it’s important to manage it differently. This is especially true if there’s substantial tissue damage. Here’s what you should do:

 

1. 1. Protect but Don’t Immobilize: In the early stages of an injury, brief support (like braces or slings) can reduce stress on the tissues while they start healing. However, completely avoiding movement for too long can slow down recovery.

1. 1. Follow RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation): This can help manage swelling and pain in the first 48 hours. Remember, “rest” here is meant to be short-term—it doesn’t mean zero movement for days!

1. 1. Gradual Movement Is Key: As soon as the pain and swelling allow, start gentle movement of the injured area to prevent long-term stiffness or weakness.

1. 1. Seek Professional Guidance: Severe injuries may need imaging or rehabilitation support. If you’re unable to move the area, feel weakness, numbness, or instability, get checked by a doctor or physical therapist.

Moving Forward: Build Resilience, Not Fear

Recovery from pain or discomfort isn’t just about addressing the current issue—it’s about setting yourself up for resiliency against future problems. Here’s how you can do that:

 

• • Reframe Pain as Information: Instead of fearing pain, view it as your body’s way of asking for attention. It’s not always a red flag—it’s often a yellow one, guiding you toward improvement.

• • Stay Consistent with Movement: Whether it’s structured exercise or simply staying active during your daily routine, movement will protect you from deconditioning and future issues.

• • Professional Support Can Help: When in doubt, reach out. A movement or rehab professional can guide you through what’s safe and effective for your specific situation.

Final Thoughts

Pain is complex, and it’s normal to feel uncertain about how to handle it when it arises. But the good news is that pain doesn’t have to stop you from living the life you want. By understanding that pain doesn’t always equal damage, avoiding over-resting, and returning to movement at your own pace, you can take control of your recovery.

Remember: Pain is your body’s way of communicating. Listen, adjust, and keep moving. If you ever feel stuck or need guidance, help is just a call away. (Literally, text us at 845-303-2976) Together, we can navigate pain and discomfort so that you emerge feeling stronger, more confident, and ready to tackle what lies ahead.

Let your journey back to health and resilience start today.

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If you’re interested in reading articles on pain and the science around it, here are some you can look at.

Graded Exposure and the Role of Movement in Reducing Pain

Reference: Moseley, G. L. (2004). “Evidence for a direct relationship between cognitive and physical change during an education intervention in people with chronic low back pain.” European Journal of Pain, 8(1), 39-45.
Key Findings:
Moseley’s research emphasizes the benefits of graded exposure therapy for chronic pain, where patients are gradually exposed to physical activities they fear. This helps improve movement confidence and reduces maladaptive pain behaviors.

Link: Study Access

Benefits of Early Mobilization

Reference: McLean, S. M., May, S., Klaber Moffett, J. A., Sharp, D. M., & Gardiner, E. (2010). “Risk factors for the development of chronic musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies.” Pain, 147(1-2), 77-90.
Key Findings:
This study suggests that early intervention strategies, including mobilization and rehabilitation exercises, can prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain by preserving physical function and addressing psychosocial factors.

Prolonged Rest and Negative Effects on Pain

Reference: van Middelkoop, M., Rubinstein, S. M., Kuijpers, T., Verhagen, A. P., Ostelo, R., Koes, B. W., & van Tulder, M. W. (2010). “A systematic review on the effectiveness of physical and rehabilitation interventions for chronic non-specific low back pain.” European Spine Journal, 20(1), 19-39.
Key Findings:
This systematic review highlights that prolonged inactivity and bed rest for conditions like non-specific low back pain can result in deconditioning, increased pain sensitivity, and delayed recovery. Exercise and active rehabilitation are encouraged over rest.

Link: Study Access